novelraw Chapter 94 Bare Commander
Chapter 94 Bare Commander
The taxi carried Jiang Ran — along with his large and small bundles of luggage — toward Donghai University.
Jiang Ran rolled down the window.
He watched the scenery pass by along the road.
This was probably…
the last time he would travel this route.
To be honest, there was, more or less, a trace of reluctance.
“Emotions in the human heart arise from a series of shared experiences; without those experiences, all adjectives are empty talk.”
By his ear,
he once again heard words Qin Feng had said before.
At this very moment, he felt them deeply all over again.Emotion.
Shared experience.
There are some things in this world that are beyond your control. They slip quietly into your life without you noticing, enter your consciousness, steer your mood — and make many things you never meant to take seriously quietly become profound.
Upon arriving at Donghai University, Jiang Ran called Professor Zhang Yang. After letting the guard answer, the taxi was allowed straight through to the faculty apartment complex.
Because Professor Zhang Yang had been recruited as a special talent, the school had allocated him an apartment.
He rarely stayed there in daily life, so he handed Jiang Ran the key and told him to move his luggage, bedding, and dormitory miscellany into the spare bedroom.
“Rather than hauling everything back to your hometown after you leave school, only to ship it to Donghai University again at the start of the new semester, it’s better to leave it in my apartment for now. When the semester begins and you’re assigned a dorm, you can just move everything directly from the faculty apartment. It’s close to the graduate dorms — it’ll save you a lot of trouble.”
That was how Professor Zhang Yang had put it.
He truly took good care of Jiang Ran, his sect’s chief disciple. After all, to be frank, this was the first student of his life — naturally he would be more attentive.
Using the key to open the door, Jiang Ran discovered the apartment was quite spacious.
Two bedrooms and a living room. Fully furnished. Clean.
“Not bad at all…”
Jiang Ran looked around and couldn’t help sighing in admiration.
Then he teamed up with the taxi driver and carried his packed luggage upstairs.
“Your suitcase has a pretty unique design.”
The driver stared at the suitcase pierced clean through by an arrow.
“Is that arrow a decoration? You’re in the arts? That’s impressively realistic!”
“…”
Jiang Ran had no words.
Realistic?
If that arrow had deviated even half an inch, it would have gone straight through his skull.
Thinking about it, he really had rotten luck.
With power like that, shouldn’t a recurve bow be regulated?
In the hands of someone like Nan Xiuxiu, how was this any different from a sniper rifle?
His suitcase wasn’t some cheap knockoff.
Yet that arrow had pierced straight through the fabric and several layers of clothing.
When he recalled the afterimage that had grazed past his ear, Jiang Ran still felt a lingering chill.
“Too violent. No sense of restraint.”
He shook his head.
After much back and forth, the last matter was finally handled. He could now begin Phase Two of the “Save Cheng Mengxue Plan” without reservations.
As for Nan Xiuxiu — though she had been firm in refusing to break up — since that day, the two of them had not contacted each other. Nan Xiuxiu hadn’t sent him a single message.
Their only intersection was just now — Nan Xiuxiu had “seen him off” with a bow and arrow, nearly sending him off for good.
This could roughly be considered a peaceful breakup — parting on good terms.
Jiang Ran began organizing his luggage.
He stopped thinking about that strange girl.
After finishing, he headed toward the School of Physics office. Professor Zhang Yang was waiting there; he planned to return the key.
Students were gradually leaving campus, dragging their suitcases behind them.
It was already late June. Exam week was drawing to a close. Many students who had finished their exams were eager to head home for summer vacation, and the campus had grown noticeably quieter.
Chi Xiaoguo still had one last exam today. She had booked a flight for tomorrow to return to Guangxi. So after meeting Professor Zhang Yang, Jiang Ran planned to see her again — she had said she had something to show him.
He entered the School of Physics teaching building.
Pushed open Zhang Yang’s office door.
Stepped inside.
“Yo.”
Zhang Yang looked up and smiled at Jiang Ran.
“The senior brother has arrived.”
Jiang Ran was speechless.
Over the past few days of increased interaction, he had come to realize that this seemingly simple and unadorned teacher was, at his core, a complete goofball… no airs whatsoever, no burden of dignity. No wonder everyone said he had a great personality.
Of course, the prerequisite was that you had to get familiar with him first before you saw this hidden side.
Professor Zhang Yang loved cracking jokes. Sometimes his dry humor was so perfectly timed it sent a chill down your spine. He was completely different from Jiang Ran’s stereotypical image of a researcher.
Especially since Jiang Ran had seen the Zhang Yang of 2045 — imprisoned, aged far beyond expectation, gloomy and depressed. That image was utterly unlike the bright, sunlit man standing before him now.
Ten years in prison hadn’t just worn down Zhang Yang’s edges — it had hollowed out his soul.
So.
Jiang Ran had to change the course of the future and prevent Zhang Yang from facing imprisonment.
The simplest way was to frequently whisper in his ear, discouraging him from researching [Quantum Tunneling]; or, more radically, to directly interfere with his experiments and disrupt his line of thought.
It might be somewhat unethical…
But compared to a prison sentence, what morality was there left to debate?
This was the best way to repay Professor Zhang Yang — and a way to repay his tireless instruction on Goldbach’s Conjecture.
“Professor Zhang, here’s your key.”
Jiang Ran placed it on the desk.
“I put my luggage in the spare bedroom you don’t use. Once the semester starts and I’m assigned a dorm, I’ll come get the key and move everything straight to the graduate dorm.”
“Mm, good.”
Zhang Yang took the key, then stood up.
“Come. I’ll show you our laboratory. The school values my project highly. And since I’m starting to supervise graduate students this year, they’ve assigned me a lab.”
“That’ll be our main battlefield from now on. If you’re looking for me, come there. We’ll discuss problems, hold lessons, work on projects — all of it there.”
Jiang Ran nodded.
The sudden leap from junior college to graduate school had given him no time to prepare. He still hadn’t fully adapted to the lifestyle of a graduate student.
“What about the other students?”
he asked curiously.
“You keep jokingly calling me senior brother, but those graduate students officially admitted under you — they’re definitely older than me. Shouldn’t I call them senior brothers and sisters?”
“So when do we meet them?”
Zhang Yang froze and turned back.
“What senior brothers and sisters?”
“Well, mine, of course.”
Jiang Ran was confused too.
“I mean the students in the same group, under the same advisor.”
“The ones who were formally admitted through the entrance exam — they’ve already finished interviews, right? Are they also enrolling in September like me?”
Zhang Yang laughed.
“What are you thinking, Jiang Ran? You don’t have any senior brothers, senior sisters, junior brothers, or junior sisters. You’re the only student under me. When the semester starts, our group will consist of just the two of us.”
Question marks practically floated above Jiang Ran’s head.
“That can’t be right. What graduate advisor supervises only one student? Even if this is your first year as an advisor, the school wouldn’t give you just one quota.”
“Is it possible—”
Zhang Yang raised a hand, cutting off his sect’s chief disciple mid-doubt.
“Is it possible that the graduate students enrolling this year applied last December, took exams, and interviewed in March — and I was only promoted to graduate advisor in April?”
“Originally, I wasn’t even scheduled to supervise any graduate students next semester. You’re a special case, haha…”
“The students who took the unified exam were already assigned advisors after interviews. You, this sudden surprise, were recommended to me by Academician Gao under the principle of ‘let the benefits stay within the family.’”
“If you want junior brothers and sisters, you’ll have to wait until next year. Students applying this December will only be able to choose me next year.”
Jiang Ran stood there, stunned.
This—
This wasn’t right!
This was completely outside his expectations!
He hadn’t anticipated… that he would be a bare commander under Zhang Yang!
What kind of senior brother was he supposed to be? What kind of chief disciple?
The entire sect consisted of a single sapling. He could crown himself Heavenly King and no one would object — because Zhang Yang, who would forever outrank him, would be the only one there.
This was bad. Very bad.
Jiang Ran swallowed.
This was an unprecedented crisis.
He knew very well — and was painfully self-aware — that he was academically incompetent. A fraud. A second-rate amateur.
To put it bluntly, he was an academic weakling, completely lacking the ability to pursue graduate studies or conduct research.
Originally, he had calculated everything carefully.
Professor Zhang Yang, as a graduate advisor, would surely take several students.
With more people, it would naturally be easier to coast.
Zhang Yang wouldn’t be able to focus all his attention on him.
And with fellow disciples around, if he encountered problems or experiments he didn’t understand, he could ask them for help.
Under the cover of mutual assistance, he might muddle through and pass unnoticed.
But now…
Everything was ruined.
And worse still.
Academician Gao Yan treated him as a genius who had proven Goldbach’s Conjecture, enthusiastically recommending him to Zhang Yang as chief disciple.
Zhang Yang had even placed great hopes on him, eager for him to begin research immediately after enrollment.
From now on, in the laboratory, the two of them would be face-to-face every day. One-on-one instruction. Under that scrutiny, his “genius” façade would crumble in minutes.
[Danger]
Jiang Ran could practically see the word hovering above his head. He could already imagine the scene of public execution — stripped naked of pretense — when exposed as an academic weakling.
He covered his forehead.
The future suddenly looked pitch-black.
Why was this worldline’s difficulty level so high? One obstacle after another, each linking seamlessly into the next.
“Oh, right.”
As if on cue, Zhang Yang suddenly asked,
“The project topics and research directions I sent to your email a few days ago — did you read them? Any thoughts?”
“Not yet,” Jiang Ran answered honestly.
“You’ve got to show some drive…”
Zhang Yang looked mildly displeased.
“Even if Professor Gao and I both know you’re a genius, diligence still matters.”
“Ah, forget it. You’re not an outsider, so I’ll speak plainly… Do you know why Academician Gao recommended you to study under me?”
“No idea,” Jiang Ran said knowingly.
How could he not know?
Academician Gao had made his intentions obvious — anyone could see he wanted to take Jiang Ran under his wing as his final disciple.
Jiang Ran had seen that clearly.
But he had no intention of going to the Dragon Country Academy of Sciences. His only goal was Donghai University, so he had played dumb.
Academician Gao hadn’t given up. Adopting a roundabout strategy of “if not my disciple, then my disciple’s disciple,” he recommended Jiang Ran to Zhang Yang.
At the time, Jiang Ran had agreed without hesitation, thinking it was a perfect arrangement.
Who could have predicted this lone-sapling disaster?
Had he known, he would have chosen an advisor with many students and hidden among them, quietly carrying out his plans at Donghai University.
Regret.
Profound regret.
“Professor Gao recommended you to me partly to take care of me as well.”
Zhang Yang smiled.
“Jiang Ran, although Professor Gao didn’t tell me what trouble you helped the Dragon Country Academy of Sciences solve, in all these years, you’re the first person he has praised so highly.”
“So I don’t doubt your academic level for a second. I don’t doubt your research ability at all. Whatever you want to study, I’ll support you.”
“To be honest… Professor Gao gave me such a promising seedling because I’ve just become a graduate advisor. He wants me to produce results with you — to make a name for myself in academia.”
“The chief disciple, the first student — that’s a matter of face for every advisor.”
“Fortunately, Professor Gao gave me a genius. So my reputation, my standing in academia… it all depends on you, Jiang Ran!”
Jiang Ran forced out a bitter smile.
Depends on me?
Professor Zhang, you’re heading for humiliation and a ruined legacy.
“Professor Zhang, I’ll go back and read your email first, then settle on a topic and discuss it with you.”
For now, he could only stall.
Fortunately, summer vacation was about to begin. He could use the next two months to cram.
Even to fake it, he needed to know what a “reed pipe” actually was.
Jiang Ran waved his hand.
“I’ll head back—”
“Wait!”
Zhang Yang grabbed him and pulled him back into the chair.
“Since you’re here, don’t bother going back to read emails. I’ll explain directly. Let’s have a proper talk.”
“My research directions are fairly broad — mathematics, physics, chemistry are all involved. But the field I’m most proficient and deeply invested in is physics.”
“Personally, I hope you’ll conduct a physics project with me.”
“That’s not to override your personal preferences… it’s just that I believe my project has tremendous potential. With your brain added to it, we could achieve a major breakthrough.”
Jiang Ran nodded immediately.
“Of course.”
Following behind Zhang Yang was the safest option.
What they researched didn’t matter.
Not getting exposed did.
In a project Zhang Yang himself led, Zhang Yang would take charge. Jiang Ran could simply observe, learn, and shout encouragement from the sidelines.
Hearing Jiang Ran agree so readily, Zhang Yang looked delighted.
“You’re really agreeing?”
“Mm.”
“That’s wonderful!”
Zhang Yang rubbed his hands together.
“Thank you, Jiang Ran. I trust Professor Gao’s judgment, and I trust his evaluation of you. Your mind will be like adding wings to a tiger for my research!”
“My project is quite cutting-edge. Worldwide, it’s mostly theoretical research at present — not yet in practical application — but there are some very promising ideas.”
Clearing his throat, Zhang Yang said excitedly:
“The project I’m currently delving deeply into is…”
“[Quantum Tunneling]!”